Mum of three, business owner, Future Care Project founder.

Lover of strong coffee and stronger policy reform.

Now based in Goondiwindi, I haven’t always called regional Australia home but it’s where I’ve found both purpose and community.

After years of living in cities all over the world and working across various professional sectors, an unexpected move to the bush opened my eyes to how much regional families are forced to go without, especially regarding essential services like childcare. Advocacy has always been part of who I am, however I never imagined it would lead me here. When you live in a community where families are continually forced to choose between care and career, between remaining in the workforce or staying at home, or between relocating for services or staying close to family, you eventually reach a point where you either accept the system as it is or decide to fight for something better. The Future Care Project is my way of choosing the latter. It’s a stand against the idea that where you live should determine the quality of care your children receive or the opportunities you have as a parent or business owner to contribute and thrive. When we invest in children and empower parents we create the conditions for regional communities to thrive, now and into the future.

The Future Care Project has operated independently since its inception and we are also actively seeking partnerships, philanthropic alignment or sponsorship to continue our work.

Claire has worked in Australia and overseas in a variety of roles ranging from changing cultures and developing assets to a year in Whitehall as a Chief of Staff. Claire has worked in private and public organisations, and government across stakeholder engagement, asset management and organisational change.

Claire is now the CEO of Ability Enterprises, a successful not-for-profit social enterprise employing around 95 people in Toowoomba in regional Queensland. They hold contracts with local government and private businesses, giving people a chance to transform their lives through meaningful employment. Under Claires’ stewardship, Ability Enterprises has doubled in numbers of people employed and tripled their turnover in the last 2 years.

On a personal level, Claire is passionate about travel, horse riding, social justice, the Rural Fire Brigade and Wildlife Rescue.

Benny is a systems facilitator and collaborator who comes alive when people work across boundaries to create something bigger than any one agency or organisation could achieve alone.  For over 20 years he’s worked with government, nonprofits, and communities on complex challenges — drawing on leadership development, systems change, and futures thinking.

Through Systems Collaboration Partners, Benny supports leaders and organisations to innovate across sectors, navigate complexity and deliver outcomes that last.  Much of Benny’s work happens in rural, regional and remote Australia, working alongside communities to shape solutions that are both practical and inclusive. His approach blends structure with humanity, because relationships shape what meaningful outcomes become possible.

After a long career in State and Local Government at Director level I retired in 2021. The Director roles always involved major community consultation in sometimes controversial areas like planning. But since retiring I’ve devoted a lot of my time to community now on four diverse community committees/ boards in school education, university education, a church parish council and importantly to this conference Vice President for the long running Jacaranda Festival a role I have held for 4 years.

The festival ran by 8 community volunteers is still ‘shing bright’ in its 93^rd year – originating to bring some joy after the Great Depression. The festival celebrating the purple flowering in late October of the 1,700 Jacaranda trees planted in the late 1800’s. The festival is huge running over. 3 weeks and has 26 main events – with over 100,000 attending – 44000 of those tourists as verified by credit card expenditure. The festival adds around $7 million to business turnover and creates around thirty  jobs.

The festival relies on a ‘purple army’ of volunteers and has major local business sponsorship of each event. The whole community is involved from the youngest kid to the oldest senior citizen, this sometimes-crazy festival thrives on its community diversity and is lots of fun.

The festival has lead up events which run all year through its major youth development program of candidates with numerous fund raisers from February.

In recent years like across the nation due to a decline in volunteers the festival has turned more to corporate help and developed closer input from local businesses – notable amongst these the large correction centre – Serco now contributing hundreds of hours by staff on a volunteer basis and prisoners for setup. Ongoing increases in regulatory costs creates major ongoing challenges.

The festival prides itself as a unifying voice for whole the Grafton community. A point noted by Kerry and Chad during last year’s conference at Grafton.

Jana Hesketh is an award-winning community engagement, community development and event specialist with experience spanning the arts, education, research, government and non-profit sectors. A trusted and experienced leader, Jana has earnt a reputation for building highly impactful teams who deliver transformational projects of benefit to communities and organisations across Queensland.

Since 2024, Jana has served as the General Manager of Government, Communities & Impact for QLD Music Festival (QMF). In this role, she works to ensure the regional & remote communities that host QMF events experience social, cultural and economic benefits that last long after the last note is played.

Paris Brooke is the Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the Wilderness Collective, a
community-driven initiative transforming Mallacoota, far east Gippsland. With over 25 years of
experience in strategic communications, investor relations, and advocacy, Paris has been
instrumental in securing vital investments and partnerships across the agricultural,
biotechnology and medical device industries.
Moving to Mallacoota in 2019, she co-founded the Wilderness Collective as a cornerstone for
entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. Her leadership has driven the acquisition of a
main street property for the benefit of the community – developing a ‘Innovation, Education and
Employment Hub’, creating the conditions to support livelihoods and opportunities in the
region.

Paris’s career spans roles such as General Manager of an ASX-listed company, Principal of a
Communications Agency, and Policy Manager for a national industry organisation, where she
cultivated high-level networks across government, business, and media. A passionate
advocate for rural development, Paris continues to champion innovative solutions to complex
social and economic challenges.

Louise Judge has spent more than 25 years working alongside rural and regional communities as they navigate change, challenge and opportunity.

As Manager of the Chinchilla Community Centre, Louise works with local people, volunteers, organisations and community leaders to respond to emerging needs and strengthen community connection, resilience and wellbeing. Over the years her experience includes supporting farming families through drought, coordinating domestic violence and sexual assault services, working with children in care, and helping communities recover and adapt through times of transition.

Throughout her career, Louise has contributed to a range of community-led initiatives and volunteer roles, including helping establish the Red Earth Community Foundation. She is currently on the Board of Neighbourhood Centres Queensland and has served as a board member and advocate in other spaces.

Having grown up in rural New South Wales and raised her family in remote Northern Territory and rural Queensland, Louise brings both professional experience and lived understanding of regional life. Louise is driven by a belief that regional communities already hold the knowledge, strengths and leadership needed to address local challenges, and that lasting change happens when people are supported and included to shape their own future.

JAZZIFY with songbird Teri Welles

“If you feeling blue, all you’ve got to do is Jazzify!”

With diverse musical skills and life experience, the Jazzify combo puts their own special spin on an ever-increasing range of jazzy, bluesy, classic, popular, “swingin’ and  rockin’ croons and tunes” drawn from music greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Natalie Cole, the Beatles, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Michael Buble, Elvis and many more, plus a few originals. Whatever the song may be, Jazzify’s priority is good quality music for good times.

Since 2010, Jazzify’s band members have played throughout the Southern Downs at Warwick’s Jumpers & Jazz and Stanthorpe’s Apple & Grape Harvest Festivals, as well Toowoomba Jazz Society, Stanthorpe Art Gallery, wineries, weddings, functions and special events.

Jazzify boasts a lineup of fine musicians.

Teri Welles (vocals), Jazzify’s songbird, is known across the Southern Downs for her warm, personal song stylings. Born in the USA, Teri has called Australia home for more than half her life. Singing solo, in duos, bands and on albums, Teri’s experience includes jazz, soft rock, country rock and folk. She is well-known in the Granite Belt as a singer, visual artist, member of the One Song choir and a life member of Stanthorpe Little Theatre.

“I have always loved to sing. It makes me happy – even when I’m singing sad songs.” said Teri. “I’m genuinely thrilled we can be part of this year’s Social Impact in the Regions event.”

Graham Muller (keyboard) trained in classical piano from a young age. After finding jazz while playing in the Royal Australian Navy Band, Graham spent years honing his jazz skills on piano and keyboard. As a well-respected, sought-after musician, and all-around nice guy, Graham has played for numerous bands and events around the Southern Downs, Warwick and Toowoomba, also providing arrangements and charts for his fellow musicians.

Andrew Johnson (bass) For over 30 years, Andrew’s professional music journey has been characterised by versatility, from symphony and ballet orchestras to big bands, jazz, funk, soul and Latin ensembles, musical theatre and session recording. The earliest part of his career was all about the trumpet but living in London for a while gave him a fresh perspective and motivation to take bass more seriously – and Andrew is a seriously good bass player. Andrew now performs and records with a number of artists and groups and Jazzify if lucky he lives in the Granite Belt.

Bill Croft (saxophone & clarinet) has been playing jazz since the British Revivalist era. He has played all around the world, including the USA, London, and Moscow. He first played in Australia in Hobart with the popular Sullivan Cove Jazz Band and while Brisbane-based, he played for the very first Jumpers & Jazz Festival. He eventually moved to Warwick, adding his smooth, melodic style to bands ever since.

Steve Clark (drums), is a very talented musician, songwriter/composer, artist, storyteller and primary school supply teacher. He likes telling stories with his original music. In recent years he has played drums for bands in festivals and events in and around Warwick.

Joel Johnston is a Central Queensland local, having grown up in Moura, a small rural town supported by the cattle, coal, and cotton industries. He has extensive experience delivering impact across the east coast of regional and remote Australia. Currently, he leads a team responsible for Social Performance and First Nations initiatives on the multi-billion-dollar Inland Rail Project, working at the intersection of infrastructure, community, and economic development.

Joel has a strong track record of building high-performing teams and forging partnerships across government, industry, and community to deliver meaningful social, cultural, and economic outcomes. His work spans diverse industries and localities, from urban areas to regional towns and remote First Nations communities, focusing on community wellbeing, economic participation, and sustainable outcomes.

Passionate about creating lasting change, Joel brings practical insight into how collaboration, innovation, and place-based approaches can strengthen regional communities.

As Australian Communities Foundation’s Director of Engagement & Advisory, Sally works alongside Fundholders, clients, and partners to build strong relationships and support their philanthropic journeys for greater impact.

Sally is passionate about expanding access to opportunity so people can make meaningful choices about their lives. She is particularly passionate about housing and employment as the foundations for stability, wellbeing, and belonging. Sally is motivated and inspired by work that opens up pathways – whether that’s a second chance or a hundredth – and helps people move forward on their own terms.

Sally is particularly passionate about housing and employment as the foundations for stability, wellbeing, and belonging.

She has spent her career in the for-purpose sector, working across engagement, partnerships and business development, often within social enterprises. She’s held senior roles at organisations including The Big Issue, where she worked on partnerships and revenue initiatives to support vendors and grow impact, and Leadership Victoria, where she designed leadership programs to help organisations respond to complex workforce challenges. Sally is also the Chair of the Centre for Social Impact Course Advisory Committee and a Board Member at StreetSmart Australia.